The memory of lavender
The memory of lavender is a romantic novel written by the Spanish author Reyes Monforte. The work was published in 2018 by the Plaza & Janés publishing house. Throughout its existence, this book has met with all types of readers, including those with favorable, mixed and negative opinions. The former praise the reverence for mourning, the latter reproach the length.
The latter is due to the fact that, according to his criteria, O well The memory of lavender It has more pages than it needs, or there is no story to tell in them.. On the other hand, the most positive opinions allege that this title by Reyes Monforte perfectly frames the author's feelings regarding death and mourning, bringing these concepts to realistic fiction.
¿The memory of lavender Is it a romantic novel?
Literary genres and their classification are nothing more than a mere bureaucracy of the advertising media, since they only serve to organize books for sale. In this sense, It would be easy to assume that a novel called “Romantic” is that and nothing more, but it is not always that simple. Sometimes the author hides behind a genre to talk about many other things, such as loss or hope.
In this regard, it is necessary to clarify that The memory of lavender It is not a pink novel, that is: It is not a story about two lovers who fight for their relationship and obtain a happy ending. On the contrary, if there is anything “romantic” about this work by Reyes Monforte, it is its incessant exploration of human feelings in the face of tragedy. However, this constant research is more intimate than sentimental.
Synopsis of The memory of lavender
About the promises we make to the dead
The plot begins two months after the death of Jonás, Lena's husband. She is a professional photographer, but her entire life seems to have been put on hold after the departure of the love of her life. However, there is a promise that she must keep, something that he asked of her and that she cannot forget: spread her ashes in the lavender fields in the heart of Alcarria.
There, the protagonist meets Jonás' group of friends and family.. Among them, a first cousin named Daniel, who is also a priest. This man not only understands and accompanies Lena's darkest feelings, but also keeps her own secrets for himself, which abound and are discovered as the narrative progresses.
Chaos after death
Despite the calm and tranquility that lavender brings them, the grief is still very deep. Furthermore, as if the pain they suffer were not enough, they must face other obstacles. They say that when you get married, you not only inherit your partner's affections, but also their hatred.. This fact is exemplified in the figure of brother-in-law Marco, with whom Lena must deal despite her mental state.
Marco is a mean and envious guy who is not willing to respect Lena's grief or that of the other family members. While all these ups and downs occur, The Lavender Festival is coming, a celebration where Lena will have the opportunity to remember her love story with Jonás and everything that he took with him. At the same time, the protagonist will discover family secrets and forge new relationships.
The memory of lavender, a novel about mourning
This novel by Reyes Monforte is a reflection of his own grief, of his grief for the loss of his loved one. Even suffering, He knew how to capture in depth the most painful moments of loss: denial, anger, anguish, all those feelings that they address on the train of the heart after knowing they are orphaned due to the departure of a great love. It is well known that it is not easy to free oneself from mourning.
However, the author assimilated it with her work, a book as sad as it is hopeful, as dark as it is full of small rays of light, of a clarity that is too difficult to see, but that is always there, waiting for the sufferer to be patient enough to distinguish it. Despite the melancholy that invades him, The memory of lavender It is a book that seeks to encourage faith in the future.
About the author
Reyes Monforte was born in 1975, in Madrid, Spain. His profession is radio journalism, but he has developed a notable career in the world of letters thanks to his literary work. He took his first steps in radio with Luis del Olmo in the well-known program Protagonistas. Since then, She has been a presenter for media such as Onda Cero and Punto Radio, as well as on television broadcasts.
He has collaborated on television channels such as Telemadrid, Antena 3TV, La 2 or EL Mundo TV, in which he has also been a screenwriter. Reyes Monforte has carried out these tasks for more than fifteen years, becoming a reference in national journalism. His first novel was a bestseller, exceeding fifty-two editions and being brought to TV in series format.
In 2015, she was the winner of the XNUMXth edition of the Alfonso. This not only allowed her to have more visibility in Spain, but also made her one of the most read best-selling authors internationally, since her works have been translated into more than twenty languages. Currently, she is a columnist for The Razón.
Other books by Reyes Monforte
- A burka for love (2007);
- Cruel love (2008);
- The hidden rose (2009);
- The unfaithful (2011);
- Arena Besos (2013);
- literary fragments (2013);
- Love stories that leave a mark (2013);
- A russian passion (2015);
- Postcards from the East (2020);
- the red violinist (2022);
- The cursed countess (2024)